Florida Senate - 2024                                     SB 746
       
       
        
       By Senator Powell
       
       
       
       
       
       24-00743-24                                            2024746__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to public meetings; providing an
    3         exemption from public meetings requirements for
    4         portions of meetings of the Task Force on Public
    5         Safety in Urban and Inner-City Communities at which
    6         exempt or confidential and exempt information is
    7         discussed; providing for expiration; providing a
    8         statement of public necessity; providing a contingent
    9         effective date.
   10  
   11  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   12  
   13         Section 1. Any portion of a meeting of the Task Force on
   14  Public Safety in Urban and Inner-City Communities, as created by
   15  SB ____, 2024 Regular Session, or similar legislation, at which
   16  exempt or confidential and exempt information is discussed is
   17  exempt from s. 286.011, Florida Statutes, and s. 24(b), Article
   18  I of the State Constitution. This section expires January 1,
   19  2026, upon the dissolution of the task force.
   20         Section 2. The Legislature finds that it is a public
   21  necessity that any portion of a meeting of the Task Force on
   22  Public Safety in Urban and Inner-City Communities at which
   23  exempt or confidential and exempt information is discussed be
   24  made exempt from s. 286.011, Florida Statutes, and s. 24(b),
   25  Article I of the State Constitution. The purpose of the task
   26  force is to investigate system failures and the causes and
   27  reasons for high crime and gun violence incidents in urban and
   28  inner-city neighborhoods and communities and to develop
   29  recommendations for system improvements. In order to fulfill its
   30  directive, the task force must be able to discuss exempt or
   31  confidential and exempt information that it receives as part of
   32  its investigation. The public meetings exemption will allow the
   33  task force to review and discuss exempt or confidential and
   34  exempt information that will be useful in forming meaningful
   35  recommendations for system improvements. As such, it is a
   36  necessity that those portions of meetings at which exempt or
   37  confidential and exempt information is discussed be made exempt
   38  from public meetings requirements. If such portions of those
   39  meetings are not closed, the public records exemption would be
   40  negated. Thus, the Legislature finds that the public meetings
   41  exemption is a public necessity in order to ensure the effective
   42  and efficient administration of the Task Force on Public Safety
   43  in Urban and Inner-City Communities.
   44         Section 3. This act shall take effect on the same date that
   45  SB ____ or similar legislation takes effect, if such legislation
   46  is adopted in the same legislative session or an extension
   47  thereof and becomes a law.